Web-Loving Landlubbers Embrace Talk Like a Pirate Day

by Jon Azpiri | September 19, 2008 at 08:49 am

1126 views | 12 Recommendations | 23 comments

In an age when Internet fads come and go, one Web-based fad has lasted longer than Blackbeard's reign of terror on the high seas: International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

The holiday, which encourages people to talk like seafaring swashbucklers (with or without a pirate encyclopedia), has inspired affection deeper than Davy Jones' Locker. Not bad for a holiday that was brought about by a sports injury.

The holiday was founded by John Baur and Mark Summers after a racquetball game between them during which one of them (they can’t remember who) yelled out “Arrr!” in a cry of pain, according to talklikeapirate.com, the official Web site of the holiday.

It happened on June 6, 1995, but that day was already the anniversary of World War II’s D-Day. Summers decided to make the holiday Sept. 19, his ex-wife’s birthday, because it was easy to remember and wasn’t already the date of another well-known holiday.

The holiday is particularly popular in Australia, perhaps not surprising considering the country was built largely by prison labour.

"Die-hard" TLAPD fans calling themselves Ye Auld Australian Association of Rum Riddled Rapscallions – YAAARRR for short – will be gathering in Sydney tomorrow to embark on a campaign of "rum, mischief and public nuisance" to raise money for The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Groups of government workers in Canberra and Hobart will be selling eyepatches to raise money for the Fred Hollows Foundation, and Dr Greg Wheeler will be dressing and talking like a pirate to raise funds for the Children's Unit at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

Of course, not everyone finds the idea of peg-legged pirates roaming the high seas so funny. The Indian Navy has requested funding for an emergency response team to deal with pirates.

The navy had about a year ago written to the Defence Ministry seeking directions and powers to respond to piracy threats to ships in the Indian Ocean Region through which about 80 per cent of the world's maritime trade passes.

In the latest pirate-related crime, a Panama-owned merchant oil tanker with 18 Indian crew on board had been hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen and the ships sailed to Somalian coast along with the cargo and the hostages on September 15.

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cassy82

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 10:06 on September 19th, 2008

Jon Azpiri, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Amy Judd

at 12:36 on September 19th, 2008

Arggh matey! Everyone should embrace this day...

trobertabq

at 14:34 on September 19th, 2008

I am making a pirate costume for my 8 inch Lati Doll BJD for Halloween. A 5th grade teacher at the school I work at was celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day in her classroom, so work on the costume was expedited to also include this day. The pirate ship cake, treasure box and sword are minatures by Re-ment. The pirate map is a printie from www.printmini.com .

At school, students read books, did pirate research and wore bandanas. During lunch, teachers sang "What shall we do with a drunken sailor" and talked about the moral corruption of pirates.

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ralphiekabo

at 14:52 on September 19th, 2008

Arrrr! 'Twas Talk Like A Pirate Day in Canberra, Australia (it's that little village we like to call the national capital, just to feel superior to Sydney and Melbourne). I came as a swashbuckler with my magnificent feathered hat and threatened a great number of people with pillaging and disembowelment.

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jfellrath

at 16:25 on September 19th, 2008

The Dread Pirate Moira wishes all scurvy dogs a Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day, Matey!

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jfellrath

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:27 on September 19th, 2008

Jon Azpiri, I be takin' a liking to this story. Ye've done good writin', matey! Arrr!

ant-o-rama

at 16:34 on September 19th, 2008

good story jon, having never been a big fan of christmas or birthdays, talk like a pirate day is the perfect substitute for me, there was much pirate banter and some dressing up in our house, a friends daughter wore a bandana to school and had some scars painted on her face but her teacher told her to wash them off and that she didn't believe there was any such day, next year that teacher shall be the first one to walk the plank :)

glitzypursegirl

at 17:28 on September 19th, 2008

We be Tahoe pirates....a good way to break the bleak news of the week, arghhh try to laugh and smile, our pieces of fake gold may have more value than our paper money lately!!!! My 2 1/2 yr old says arghhhh to everyone and loves to play with his pirate toys!!!!

felicityfan85

at 19:02 on September 19th, 2008

My Mischa (FKA Girl of the Year 2008 Mia), an American Girl Doll, got in on th' Talk Like a Pirate celebration, too. One of the doll forums I'm apart of joins in the festivities and members share photos and albums of their AG dolls in garb and sailing the high seas.

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senoritafish

at 19:58 on September 19th, 2008

ITLAP silliness - my coworker made the hats for everyone. My pocketknife in lieu of a sword.

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SOLARLIFE

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 03:50 on September 20th, 2008

Jon Azpiri, I like this story. It's good stuff. don't forget the real Pirates hijacking a hong kong vessel sept-19: "Somalia Pirates"

eye of einstein

at 15:54 on September 20th, 2008

yarr...

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Mr Ts Fourth Grade

at 08:38 on September 21st, 2008

Me classes 'ave celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day since 2005. We be a Core Knowledge school and ties it to reading of Treasure Island. Students learn vocabulary so they can cuss like pirates. Our art teacher, a lovely lass, 'as patiently obliged us annually in fashionin' proper pirate gear such as hats, eye patches, and hooks. On TLAP Day we pillage the classrooms of the wee kindergarteners through 3rd graders. It be a grand, great day.

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Terri Potratz

at 18:30 on September 21st, 2008

Did anyone notice that Facebook added a new language to the site on Talk Like a Pirate Day? I activated the English (pirate) language and it's still working days later - definitely worth checking out, it's a hoot!

Agent Retro

at 05:10 on September 22nd, 2008

Yarrrrr mateys!

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kOoLiNuS

at 05:34 on September 22nd, 2008

Ar Ar Ar

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panzerlawyer

at 08:29 on September 23rd, 2008

Ar me hearties. This was a great story.

mandaroo63

at 09:05 on September 23rd, 2008

This photo was from last year, but we like to celebrate TLPD every year! It's great fun for the kids. The local libraries often celebrate with musicians, costumes, and food.

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clarehelen

at 11:56 on September 23rd, 2008

Well I was on ravelry.com when we discovered we could talk like pirates, even when we spoke normally. Yes became "Aye" and a lot of buccaneers were declared to be "scurvy old dogs", plus much rum and grog and keel-hauling took place. Shiver me timbers and splice the mainbrace, savvy?!

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rasudduth

at 18:02 on September 23rd, 2008

For some reason we decided that it would be a good idea to tackle the 43 mile Quad State Challenge along the Appalachian Trail on Talk Like a Pirate day. Arrrr feet were sure tired!

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Simply Danielle

at 08:04 on September 30th, 2008

I have been doing Talk Like a Pirate Day every year since my senior year in college. No matter my job whether I am working in a computer lab as a no name lackey or my most recent position with Microsoft On Talk Like a Pirate day you will see me in hat boots and rapier waiting for a fight.

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